New Orleans Saints Rookie Spotlight: Pierre Warren

Rookie safety making his mark in training camp

Pierre Warren, an undrafted rookie safety from Jacksonsonville State, is 6 feet 2 and 200 pounds. Warren was a two-year starter for Jacksonville State and posted 166 tackles, a sack, eight interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, 29 passes defensed, a forced fumble and five fumble recoveries.

Warren has been making plays in camp and is today's Rookie Spotlight:

When the teams called after the draft, what distinguished the Saints?“They were the first ones to call. They said they dress a lot of safeties and I’m a safety. That was good.”

When you made an interception the other day, I heard Keenan Lewis say, ‘I knew Pink Panther could play!’ What’s that about?“I’ve never heard that one before. He always calls me Wiz, but not Pink Panther.”

Did they give you a grade coming out of college, like a certain round they thought you might be drafted in?“I wasn’t sure of one.”

What made you want to come out early?“I just felt like it was time.”

The coaches obviously saw something in you to put you in with the twos right away. Did they tell you anything or was it something they liked from rookie camp?“No they didn’t. I guess just because (Jairus) Byrd had the surgery and everything, they just filled the spot.”

Do you prefer free or strong safety? I guess it’s kind of interchangeable here.“Right. Free or strong. Sometimes it’s the same, so basically you just have to get to learning both of them.”

Did you feel like you would be given an opportunity to move up when Byrd got hurt?“Yeah, just like the other safeties felt the same way. You just have to make a play and stand out.”

You said that Keenan calls you Wiz. Where does that come from?“He says I look like Wiz Khalifa in the face (laughter). Y’all know he’s funny.”

We’ve seen a lot of your highlight plays. Have there been lowlights that we haven’t seen?“Yeah. Everybody has lowlights just like everybody has highlights. There are some as well.”

How do you feel about your consistency?“I think I’m doing pretty well.”

Do you ever get to the point where you can relax a little bit, or do you have your bag packed every day?“Every day my back is against the wall. I’ve got to make a play. I feel like I have to do something to stand out from everybody else.”

Take us through the play that you read so well on the goal line.“We were just in man coverage and we were doubling the twos. So then I just read the quarterback and made a play and knocked it down.”

Do you feel like you’re one of the more instinctive safeties out here?“I think everybody has good instincts out there.”